Brave test

Brave…What does that word really mean? I know what it means to me, because my friend and her family are great examples. I’ve heard one of my best friends talk about ALS for many years, but didn’t understand the extent of the disease until I started meeting people diagnosed with it through my business.

There was a recent study put together by a university that looked for links to better understand ALS, and find ways to treat and cure this debilitating diagnosis. Part of this study requires the participating of people like my friend who come from families that have several members with ALS.

These studies demand more from participants that we realize:

Needles (I’m getting weak as I write this)

Scans

Many personal questions

Travel (requiring one to use work vacation time)

Money spent on gas, and

The most precious commodity of all, time.

That said, the greatest toll this type of study takes on a person is emotional. There is the potential that one will learn things about themselves and their family that are uncomfortable. The long hours of physical poking and prodding also takes an emotional toll. My friend’s mom learned through this study that she has the ALS gene.

Taking the risk to learn something like that is probably the bravest thing I’ve ever heard a person do. I’ve never met my friend’s mom, but she is already my hero.

My friend has also demonstrated bravery to participate in this study. Her family did this for people currently suffering from ALS, and for those in the future who will confront this disease. That is brave.

I hope that I would do the same thing for people, but I just don’t know if I could be that brave. I am so proud of my friend, her mom, and their family members for living so selflessly.

Accessible Homes donated the stand aid in the picture below to the ALS Association of MN in honor of all the brave people who live their lives with ALS, who participate in studies to help find cures, and for people like my friend who show us how to live bravely each day.

You know I love you my friend, and you know I think you are fantastic. I hope the rest of the world can take something wonderful away from your example of bravery.